that came after talks broan down between the president and house speaker john boehner. senator collins told the newshour today that she's optimistic lawmakers can still strike a deal and stave off the spending cuts. >> so this has to be done carefully. i think the president's right that -- and i've said this for a long time -- that we have to look at both revenues and spending. but there needs to be compromise on both sides. >> woodruff: but mcconnell said the president needs to put a proposal on the table if any agreement is going to pass. >> the time for the president to lead is now. that means offering a concrete plan that takes into account the fact that half the congo poses tax hikes. >> woodruff: on the democratic side house minority leader nancy pelosi rejected calls by some in the party who have argued for letting the country go over the cliff to get a better deal. >> i want you to be disabused of any notion that there's any widespread thought that it would be a good as a country for us to go over the cliff. we want an agreement. we want an agreement. >> woodruf